Astral Spirits presents the debut duo recording from Alex Cunningham (violin) and Claire Rousay (percussion) entitled Specifically the Water.

Alex Cunningham is a violinist, improviser, and visual artist based in St. Louis, MO. His work explores free improvisation, drone, noise, and minimalist composition. Cunningham has recently performed with Mark Shippy, Sandy Ewen, Damon Smith, Stefan Gonzalez, and Lisa Cameron and has ongoing collaborations with Chris Trull (under the Apathist! moniker), Kevin Harris, and Claire Rousay. Past collaborations include the groups Vernacular String Trio, Hess/Cunningham Duo, and Hardbody. Cunningham has released music on Close/Far Recordings, Personal Archives, Already Dead Tapes and Records, Fort Evil Fruit, and Astral Spirits.
Cunningham’s collage work has appeared on various album covers and concert posters. He was named St. Louis’ “Best Concert Poster Designer” by the Riverfront Times in 2015. His visual work has shown at Hoffman LaChance Contemporary, Resident Arts, Blank Space, and the Thomas Dunn Learning Center and has been featured on bus stops in St. Louis as part of St. Louis Metro’s “Arts in Transit” initiative. 

Claire Rousay is a person who performs and records. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Her performances and recordings explore queerness, human relationships, and self perception through the use of physical objects and their potential sounds. rousay performs with Brandon Lopez, Carol Genetti, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Jacob Wick, Ken Vandermark, Lori Goldston, Michael Foster, Tom Carter, and others. rousay’s work has been performed at locations such as Casa del Popolo, Constellation Chicago, Experimental Sound Studio’s Option Series, Iklectik Art Lab (London), Issue Project Room, and the Tobin Center for Performing Arts (San Antonio).